Mount Dora senior battles cancer, beats depression

She was 5th seat on Mount Dora High School’s tennis team, played clarinet in the marching band and was just recently crowned this year’s prom queen, alongside her boyfriend, the prom king.

In less than two weeks, she’ll be graduating.

To some, those things may seem like nothing too out of the ordinary, but for Sanchez, they are milestones she at one time thought she'd never reach.

“I was 12 and in middle school when I noticed a bump on my knee. I played soccer and tennis so I thought I probably got hit with something. I didn’t think much about it until I couldn’t walk anymore,” Sanchez said.

After a visit to the hospital, testing and a biopsy, doctors diagnosed Sanchez with Osteosarcoma – or bone cancer.

Stunned, Sanchez fell into a deep depression.

“I didn’t really react to it. I was in shock. All those doctors came in and talked to me but I just sat there. When everyone left, I started crying because that’s when it really hit me,” she said. “After that, I was just saying 'okay, okay,' to everything. I was letting everyone make decisions for me because it didn’t feel like my life.”

Sanchez started Chemotherapy but the cancer had traveled deeper into her muscles. Her bones became brittle and Sanchez could not continue with school or sports. She eventually had surgery to replace her knee.

Sanchez’ mother stopped working to be with her and in all, her hospital stay lasted for more than a year.

When she was released, she had to continue therapy. Sanchez went back to school but just wanted to be alone.

“I’d already missed a lot of school and I was behind. I was having personal problems and I didn’t know anything or care about my GPA,” Sanchez said. “I was bald. I couldn’t eat, I didn’t get out of bed and I saw no one. Sometimes, I would get so mad. It was really hard and I gave up."

Sanchez said one day, during a visit with her child-life specialist, Debbie, something clicked.

“She said, 'What’s going on with you?' She wouldn’t let it go and little by little, she made me see things differently. She made me actually start fighting and want to live again,” Sanchez said.

In the meantime, Sonia’s older sister Candy Sanchez, now 20, who'd been away, returned and only then, found out about Sonia’s condition.

Because of ongoing treatments and doctor’s visits, Candy had to step up to take care of their father and two younger brothers. When she graduated, money was too tight for a big university, so it was off to Lake-Sumter State College and later the University of South Florida.

“Sometimes I feel bad, like I kind of dragged her down,” Sonia said.

Today however, the two sisters and their mother are closer than ever. Sonia is happy, positive and excited about her future. She is nearly cancer-free.

“She’s been through and overcame a lot, but she’s always got a smile on her face,” said Veronica Johnson, Sonia’s guidance counselor.

Sonia plans on attending LSSC and will continue to the University of Central Florida. She is thinking of becoming a child life specialist to help other kids.

In the moment, she feels grateful.

“Even though I had cancer and went through a hard time, I learned a lot about myself and about how to treat others,” she said. “I became more optimistic despite how much the cancer wanted me to give up and I can see myself one day saying to someone, 'I know it’s really hard right how, but it’ll get better. Don’t give up. See? I’m living proof.'”